Page:Randall Parrish--My Lady of the South.djvu/238

MY LADY OF THE SOUTH I'm damned av I'm afraid of it, at all, at all. But niver did I see sich a face before."

"They were insane eyes, that was all, O'Brien. At first I almost thought as you did, but now my senses have come back, and I am for probing this thing to the bottom. Now stand ready."

I went over the entire surface with my fingers, pressing against every protuberance which might conceal the spring controlling the mechanism. The mantel fitted back into the chimney so perfectly I found no spot where even the thin blade of my knife could find entrance; the stones were solidly mortared, and the iron fire-screen was bolted down securely in place. A brass rail extended out a foot or so, and ran across the front, and two iron andirons were let in through a slight cutting of the screen. I moved one of these, finding it loose, and then placed my hand upon the other, simply because I knew not what else to do. To my surprise it was immovable, seemingly as solid as the stones beneath. I endeavored to pull it forth but without result.

"Here 's a queer thing, O'Brien," I exclaimed, "That other andiron is loose but this one is fastened solidly."

He leaned over, and stared at it, his gun ready under one arm.

"Thry pullin' up on it, sor," he suggested. "Maybe it's just caught on something."

I got up from my knees, and bent down, both hands gripping the iron. As I straightened my arms, without the slightest resistance, or noise, the bar uplifted a bare inch, and then caught again with a dull metallic click. [ 224 ]